Printer



J1me 1954 c. A. CHRISTOFF 3,136,243

PRINTER Filed March 22, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet l 2 FIE l MR JAMES SMITH MRS J DOE JA 406 N ANYWHERE 37962 E UNKNOWN 2e a a-3W 2E |5T|673 l-6-89 2371 6538 1-2-62 33 INVENTOR- FIE IE1 Z 4770E/VE) June 9, 1964 c. A. CHRISTOFF 3,136,243

PRINTER Filed March 22, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. (HE/J 4. 0 /42/1705 ATTOE/VE Y BYZJQ/Lg June 1964 c. A. CHRISTOFF PRINTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 22. 1961 mHm EMF- nu n INVENTOR (HE/J4 (He/.YTaFF BY W 7 M United States Patent 3,136,243 PRINTER Chris A. Qhristofi, San Gabriel, Calif assignor to Clary Cerporation, San Gabriel, Calif, a corporation of California Filed Mar. 22, 1961, Ser. No. 97,495 6 Claims. (Cl. 10193) This invention relates to high speed printers such as that disclosed and claimed in the Witt et al. Patent No. 2,915,968, issued on December 8, 1959. In the above printer, and in others wherein a printing drum having a plurality of columns of type characters therearound is moved past a row of printing impression devices or hammers, the time generally required to print a single line of type is the time which elapses from the instant that a predetermined point on the drum passes such row until a second predetermined point on the drum passes that row.

In general, such printers are limited in speed to approximately 15 lines per second which is considerably slower than the possible output of most electronic computers and other data processing equipment.

It therefore becomes a principal object of the present invention to increase the speed of printing of a printer of the above type.

Another object is to reduce wasted time in a printer of the above type. 7

Another object is to provide a high speed printer capable of printing a plurality of lines of print at a time.

The manner in which the above and other objects of the invention are accomplished will be readily understood on reference to the following specification when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation view of a label printer embodying a preferred form of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a label strip having data printed thereon.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the wiring circuit for controlling the printer.

FIG. 5 is a detail diagram of the wiring circuit comprising the gate for controlling paper advance.

Referring to the drawings, the printer is of the hypocycloidal type basically similar to that disclosed and claimed in the patent to Witt et al., No. 2,915,968, issued on December 8, 1959, and in the co-pending patent applica-' tion of C. A. Christolf, Serial No. 859,349, filed December 14, 1959, now abandoned.

The printer comprises a frame 11 having a transversely extending wall 12 thereon. A generally circular casting 13 is secured by screws 14 to the wall and has a bore 15 extending therethrough in which are mounted a pair of spaced ball bearings 16. The latter rotatably support a shaft 17 having an eccentric shaft portion 18 formed on the left-hand end thereof. The eccentric portion 18 rotatably supports a combined type drum 20 and external gear 21 through spaced ball bearings 22.

The drum 2 0 and gear 21 are rotated by a motor (not shown) through a flexible endless belt 123 in a manner similar to that disclosed in the abandoned application of Christolf et al., Serial No. 87,334, filed February 6, 1961. The drum 20 has a plurality of equally spaced columns of type characters 23 thereon, there being eighty character spaces in each column. The type characters in the different columns are aligned with each other in rows extending along the length of the drum, all like characters being arranged in the same rows. However, there are two complete fonts of type in each column, each font containing a complete set of numerical and alphabetical type including certain additional symbol type.

. 3,135,243 Patented June 9, 1964 "ice The gear 21, which is concentric with the eccentric portion 18 of shaft 17, meshes with an internal gear 24 formed in the casting 13, the internal gear being arranged concentrically of the main portion of shaft 17.

The gear 21 preferably contains twice the number of teeth as the number of character spaces around the drum, i.e., 160 teeth, and the internal gear 24 contains the same number of teeth plus one such multiple, i.e., 162 teeth. Thus, upon each rotation of the shaft 17, due to rotation of the drum, and consequent orbital movement of the drum about the center of the shaft proper, the drum will creep from one type character position to the next relative to a printing station established by any one of a number of platens 25 (see also FIG. 2), there being a column of five such platens aligned with each column of type characters. The platens of each column are spaced apart distances equal to the spacing between adjacent type characters in a column, the platens in the different columns being aligned in five different rows.

The type drum 20 is only slightly larger in diameter than the gear 24. Accordingly, as the drum moves in an orbit about the center of the internal gear 24, each type character will describe a substantially hypocycloidal curve as set forth in the aforementioned Witt et al. patent so that as a type character reaches the apex of its outward movement, it will be moving substantially radially outward. If, at this time, a printing platen 25 has been positioned inwardly toward its respective type Wheel against a paper tape 26 located intermediate the type drum and the platens, printing contact will occur to transfer a printing impression from the aligned type character to the strip, as will presently appear.

Means (not shown), such as that disclosed and claimed in the application of C. A. Christofl, Serial No. 21,370, filed on April 11, 1960, and since matured into Patent No. 3,043,214, issued on July 10, 1962, are preferably employed to apply a film of ink onto the surfaces of the various type characters 23. Also, the type drum could be made of porous material to distribute ink to the faces of the various type characters.

The various platens 25 are mounted for endwise movement in a direction extending generally radially of the shaft 17 in guide plates 27 and 28. Each platen has a pair of spaced shoulders 29 thereon between which the camming portion 30a of an actuator bar 31 extends. Each bar 30 is guided for endwise movement in guide slots formed in guide plates, two of which are shown at 1341 and 131. Also, each bar is pivotally connected to an armature 31 of a respective electromagnet 32, the armature being pivotally supported at 33 and urged in a clock-. wise direction by a tension spring 34 so as to normally hold its respective platen out of the path of the type drum, as shown. However, when an ,electromagnet is energized, its respective platen 25 will be raised to a position wherein it will cause a printingimpression to be made from a selected type character onto the strip 26 when the type 25 asjshown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to permit close spacing of the platens. p

The strip 26 is guided through a guide chute 35, under the type drum, and under a pin wheel 36. The pin wheel has a series of needle-like pins which extend radially a short distance therefrom to penetrate the strip and thus feed the same leftwardly through the chute and past the type drum. The pin wheel 36 is driven by a suitable motor (not shown) through a cyclically operable clutch illustrated by dot-and-dash lines 37. The latter is simi-- lar to that disclosed in FIGS. 25 to 28 of the Boyden et a1. Patent No. 2,515,692, issued on luly 18, 1950, and is con disengaging position.

a time on the strip 26. After such a block is printed, the

solenoid 41 is energized to advance the strip to the left preparatory to printing the next block of information.

It will also be noted that the length of an entire print-' ing cycle is variable depending on the particular data being printed. That is, consider a hypothetical but unlil-zely example where the following data is to be printed in one block:

AAAAAAAAAAAAAA BBBBBBBBB CCCCCCCQCC DDDDDDDDD EEEEEEEEEEE Consider also that the drum is approaching a position where the similar type characters will be in printing position, i.e., will be aligned with the platens 25. In such case, the entire printing operation would occur at the same time and, thereafter, the paper space solenoid 41 will be energized to advance the paper into its next block printing position.

De cribing now the electrical controls for the printer, data is received in binary coded decimal form from a suitable data processing apparatus (not shown) over a number of sets of lines 43, there being five vertically spaced rows of such sets, one row for each line of print, and a number of horizontally spaced columns of such sets, one column for each type character space in each line. The lines of each set 43 represent dilierent weighted values in the binary scale of progression. For example, the lines in each set counting from the leftmost one represent a blank or no-print indication and the decimal values 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64, respectively. Decimally equivalent values ranging from 1 to 80 which may represent numerical and alphabetical data are thus registered by relatively hi h potentials on one or more of such lines except the leftmost linewvhich represents a blank only.

The drum it has a circular row of holes ddarranged concentrically about the left-hand end thereof, there being one hole for each type character space around the drum. A pulse generating device 45 is mounted in the'path-of the holes 44 to generate a pulse as each hole passes the same. Such a pulse generating device. may be of the well known reluctance pick-up type wherein a magnetic field is generated at the inner end 46 of the device and such fields is modified by each hole as it passes the same so as to cause pulses to be applied over a line 4'7. The latter is connected to the inputs of ,fivetltl-state pulse counters as, 43a, 43b, 43c and 48d, there being one such counter for each aforementioned row of platens 25 and associated magnets. Each of the latter counters is of the binary type whose outputs, i.e., 50, register different weighted values in accordance with the scale of binary progression. Such Weighted values are the same as those registered by the different digital lines of each set 43. That is, counting from the left-hand line, the lines it register the decimal values 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 3 2 and 64-. Thus, decimal values ranging from 1 to 80, corresponding to the different type character positions around the drum, are successively registerd by application of relat of any well known type such as that disclosed and claimed in the co-pending application of R. E. London, Serial No. 172,364, filed January 15, 1962. The set of output lines 56 of the counter 48 are connected in parallel to opposite inputs of such gates in the first row. Now, when the count registered by the counter 43 matches the data or amount registered by one of the sets of information lines, i.e., 43, in thefirst row, an output will be generated by such gate. The output of each gate is connected through an amplifier 52 to a respective electromagnet 32 (see also FIG. 1).

The remaining counters 4% to idd have their output lines similarly connected to the inputs of respective rows of multiple input coincident gates whereby to operate respective magnets when the outputs of such counters match the input data on corresponding sets of input lines.

It should be noted that the counters 4,8 to 48d are ini tially set to register progressively higher counts and that this'relationship of'counts registered by the counters is continuously maintained as the drum 20 rotates to concurrently advance all counters. For example, the first counter 48 is initially set to register 1 when the row of type characters "1 are adjacent the leftmost row (FIG. 2) of type platens 25 (considering the type characters as progressing in value counterclockwise around the drum). In this'case, the second counter 48:: is set to register 2. The counter 48b is set to register 3 and so forth.

. Data is received over the live rows of data'lines 43 in sequence from the data processing. apparatus. That is, data is first received over the sets 43 oflines in the first or vuppermost row in FIG. 4. Thereafter, data is received over the similar sets of data lines in the second row, etc. Such sequence, however, is completed while the outputs of the counters register a current count.

In accordance with the present invention, the blank indicating lines 55 of all sets of data lines in the first or leftmost column of such lines in FIGJ'4 are connected through lines,i.e. 2'36 and a line 57, to the input of a fivestate counter 58. Also, the output of each gate in such leftmost column is connected by a line, i.e., line 81, to

line 5". Thus, upon receipt of a blank signal, or upon energization of a print magnet 32 in the first column, a count will be applied to the counter 58.

Accordin ly, after characters are print d in all character spaces in the first column or after printing a character in each of certainof such character spaces and receipt of an indicationof a blank in each of the other characterspaces in such first column, the counter 5'8 will fill and transfer a pulse to one input of. an and gat circuit fitl.

Likewise, the coincidence gates and blank indicating lines in the second columniare connected through a line 61 to the input of a second five-state counter 62 Whose outputis connected to a second input of the gate circuit as. Further, the outputs of the coincidence gates and blank indicating lines of the remaining columns are connected to respective five-state counters Whose outputs are connected to additional inputs of the gate circuit so.

When all inputs of the gate so have been energized, indicative of printing in all character spaces on the five lines or printing in certain of such character spaces and blanks in the remaining spaces, a pulse is applied over line 63 to energize the paper advance control solenoid 4-1.

Referring to FIG. 5, the gate circuit 64 comprises a plurality of thyratrons 154, the controlelements'of which are connected throughlines, i.e., 65, to the outputs of respective ones of the several counters S8, 62, etc. The anodes of such thyratrons are connected through a line 66 to a source, 67 of high potential through normally closed contacts 6% of a slow operating relay '70.v

The cathodes of the thyratrons are each connected to ground through a resistor 71 and through a line, i.e., 72, to the respective inputs of an and gate 73. The latter 'comprises a series of diodes, eachconnected to a respective one of the thyratron cathodes, and having their anodes connected to a line 74 which is connected through a resistor 75 to a source of high potential. The line 74 is also connected in parallel to the coil of the relay 70 and through an amplifier 76 to the aforementioned paper advance control solenoid 41. Thus, when the gate 73 passes a paper advance signal, the solenoid 41 will be energized and shortly thereafter the relay 70 will be energized to render the thyratrons nonconducting.

It should be noted that with certain obvious modifications, the paper strip could be guided and advanced in a direction at right angles to the axis of the drum.

In the event that data is to be received simultaneously over the various rows of data lines 43 and blank indicating lines 55, suitable delay circuits (not shown) having different delay time characteristics would be placed in the lines 56 and in lines 81 connecting the outputs of the various gates, i.e., 51, in each column to the associated line, i.e., 57. I

Although the invention is described in detail and therefore certain specific terms andlanguages are used herein, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is illustrative rather than restrictive and that changes and'modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as set forth in the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described the invention, what is desired to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. Printing mechanism comprising the combination of a type drum having a circumferentially extending column of type characters, said type characters being arranged in a progressive series,

a plurality of impression devices arranged circumferentially of said drum, means for advancing said drum past said impression devices, counters associated with respective ones of said impression devices,

said counters being effective to individually count impulses, successive ones of said counters registering, in the direction of advancement of said drum and at any instant progressively higher counts in accordance with said series, means operable in time with said drum for generating an impulse as an incident to advancement of each said type character past each said impression device, said last mentioned means being operable to apply an impulse to all of said counters, and comparing devices for comparing the outputs of said counters with signals representing characters to be printed and for actuating respective ones of said impression devices in response to matches between the outputs of said counters and said signals. 2. Printing mechanism comprising the combination of a type drum having a circumferentially extending column of type characters, said type characters being arranged in a progressive series,

a plurality of impression devices arranged circumferentially of said drum, means for advancing said drum past said impression devices, counters associated with respective ones of said impression devices, said counters being effective to individually count impulses, successive ones of said counters registering, in the direction of advancement of said drum, progressively'higher counts in accordance with said series, H t v means controlledby said drum upon advancement of each of said type characters past a predetermined point for applying an impulse to each of said counters, and comparing devices for comparing the outputs of each of said counters with signals representing characters to be printed and for actuating respective ones of said impression devices in response to matches between the outputs of said counters and said signals. 3. Printing apparatus comprising the combination of a type drum having a plurality of circumferentially extending columns of type characters, the type characters in each of said columns being arranged in a progressive series, said type characters being arranged in rows length wise of said drum, said type characters in each of said rows being identical with each other, i a plurality of rows of impression devices arranged circumferentially of said drum,

each of said impression devices being aligned with a respective column of said type characters, means operable in time with said drum for generating an impulse as an incident to advancement of a said i type character past one of said impression devices, a counter for each of said rows of impression devices, said counters being effective to count said impulses and having parallel binary outputs, said counters being arranged, in the direction of advancement of said drum, to register progressively higher counts in accordance with said series, comparing devices associated with respective ones of said impression devices,

each of said comparing devices being effective to compare the output of the said counter for the associated row and a parallel binary signal representing a character to be printed by the associated impression device and for actuating sponse to a match between said signal and said last mentioned counter, means for advancing a record medium intermediate said impression devices and said drum, an impression counting device associated with each of said columns of type characters, each of said impression counting devices being etfective to count the actuation of the said impression devices associated with the respective column of type characters and to apply an output signal upon actuation of all of said last mentioned devices, and means responsive to output signals from all of said counting devices for actuating said record medium advancing means. 4. Printing apparatus comprising the combination of a type drum having a plurality of circumferentially extending columns of type characters, the type characters in each of said columns being arranged in a progressive series,

said type characters being arranged in rows lengthwise of said drum, said type characters in each of said rows being identical with each other, aplurality of columns of impression devices arranged circumferentially of said drum,

lengthwise of said drum, each of said impression devices being aligned with a respective column of said type characters, counters associated with respective ones of said rows of impression devices, 7 v

said counters being effective to individually count impulses, successive ones of said counters registering, in the direction of rotation of said drum and at any instant, progressively higher counts in accordance with said series, means operable in time with said drum for generating impulses as an incident to advancement of each said a row of type characters past each of said impression devices,

said last mentioned means being operable to apply an impulse to each of said counters, comparing devices associated with respective ones of said impression devices,

each of said comparing devices being eflfective to compare the output of a said counter for the said last mentioned impression device in re-' said impression devices being arranged in rows associated row of impression devices and a signal representing a character to be printed by an impression device in the associated row and for actuating the saidlast mentioned impression device in response to a match between said signal column of type characters and to apply an output signal upon actuation of all of said'last mentioned devices,

and means responsive to output signals fromaall of said counting devices for actuation of said record medium advancing means.

5. Printing apparatus comprising the combination of a type drurnhaving a plurality of circumferentially extending columns of type characters, the type characters in each of said columns being arranged'in a progressive series,

said type characters'being arrangedin rows lengthwise of said drum, 1

said type characters in each of said rows being identical with each other,

a plurality of columns of impression devices arranged circumferentially-of said drum,

said impression devices being arranged in rows lengthwise of said drum, each ofsaid impression devices being aligned with a respective column of said type characters,

counters associated with respective ones of said rows of impression devices,

said counters being effective to individually count impulses, successive ones of said counters registering, in the direction of rotation of said drum and at any instant, progressively higher counts in accord? ance with said series, means controlled by said drum upon advancement of each of said rows of type characters past a predetermined point for applying an impulse to each of said counters, comparing devices associated with respective ones of said impression devices, p 7

each of said comparing devices being effective to compare the output of the said-counter for the associated row-of impression devices and a sigrial representing a character to be printed by an impression device in the associated row and for actuating thesaid last mentionedimpression device in-re'sponseto a match between said signal and said last mentioned counter, "means for advancing a record medium intermediate said impression devices and said drum,

an impression counting device associated With each of said columns of type characters,

each of said impression counting devices being ef- "fective to count the actuation of "the said impression devices associated with the respective "column of type characters and to apply an output signal upon actuation of all of said last men- 'tioned devices,

- and means responsive to output signals from all of said counting devices for actuating said record me- 7 dium advancing means.

8 6. Printing apparatus comprising the combination of a type drum having a plurality of circ'umferentially extending columns of type characters, the type characters in each of said columns being arranged in a progressive series,

said type characters being arranged in rows lengthwise of said drum, said type characters in each of said rows being identical with each other, a plurality of columns of impression devices arranged circumferentially of said drum,

said impression devices being arranged in rows lengthwise of said drum, eachof said impression devices being aligned with a respective column of said type characters, means controlled by said drum upon advancement of each of said rows. of type characters pasta predetermined point forproducing an impulse, a counter for each of said rows of impression devices, said counters being effective to count said impulses and having parallel binary outputs, saidcounters being arranged, in the direction of advancementof said drum, to register progressively higher counts in accordance with said series, comparing devices associated with respective ones of said impression devices,

each of said comparing devices being effective to compare the output of the said counter for the associated roW of impression devices and a par- 1 allel binary signal representing a character to be printed by the associated impression device and for actuating said last mentioned impression devices in response to a match between said 1 signal and said last mentioned counter, means for advancing a record medium'intermediate said-impression devices'and said drum, an impression counting device associated with each of said columns of type characters,

4 each of said impression counting devices being effective to count=the actuation ofthe said impression'devices associated with respective columns of type characters and to apply an output signal uponactuation'of all of said last-mentioned devices, Y and means responsive to. output signals for all of said counting devices for actuating said record medium advancing means.

. Referencestlited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,692,551 Potter Oct. 26, 1954 2,825,559 Davidson Mar. 4, 1958 2,858,536 Johnston-a Oct. 28, 1958 2,873,666 Steifel a Feb. 17, 1959 1 2,874,634 I Hense 'Feb. 24, 1959 2,910,936 Christotf et a1. Nov. 3, 1959 2,915,966 Jacoby Dec. 8, 1959 2,915,968 Witt et a1 Dec. 8, 1959 3,001,180 Williams Sept. 19, 1961 8,024,723 Wasserman Mar. 13, 1962 3,058,415 "Hoffman Oct. 16, 1962 "OTHER REFERENCES I 

1. PRINTING MECHANISM COMPRISING THE COMBINATION OF A TYPE DRUM HAVING A CIRCUMFERENTIALLY EXTENDING COLUMN OF TYPE CHARACTERS, SAID TYPE CHARACTERS BEING ARRANGED IN A PROGRESSIVE SERIES, A PLURALITY OF IMPRESSION DEVICES ARRANGED CIRCUMFERENTIALLY OF SAID DRUM, MEANS FOR ADVANCING SAID DRUM PAST SAID IMPRESSION DEVICES, COUNTERS ASSOCIATED WITH RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAID IMPRESSION DEVICES, SAID COUNTERS BEING EFFECTIVE TO INDIVIDUALLY COUNT IMPULSES, SUCCESSIVE ONES OF SAID COUNTERS REGISTERING, IN THE DIRECTION OF ADVANCEMENT OF SAID DRUM AND AT ANY INSTANT PROGRESSIVELY HIGHER COUNTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH SAID SERIES, MEANS OPERABLE IN TIME WITH SAID DRUM FOR GENERATING AN IMPULSE AS AN INCIDENT TO ADVANCEMENT OF EACH SAID TYPE CHARACTER PAST EACH SAID IMPRESSION DEVICE, SAID LAST MENTIONED MEANS BEING OPERABLE TO APPLY AN IMPULSE TO ALL OF SAID COUNTERS, AND COMPARING DEVICES FOR COMPARING THE OUTPUTS OF SAID COUNTERS WITH SIGNALS REPRESENTING CHARACTERS TO BE PRINTED AND FOR ACTUATING RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAID IMPRESSION DEVICES IN RESPONSE TO MATCHES BETWEEN THE OUTPUTS OF SAID COUNTERS AND SAID SIGNALS. 